Swimming With Long Hair? A Bun (Not a Braid) Is Your Best Bet

This is a picture of a model on the runway of a fall fashion show. And we're talking about how to style your hair for swimming, salt water, and summer. But trust me, you'll be glad you saw this picture, because, dear reader, this is not the style I wore when I went scuba diving last week. And that picture was not pretty.

It was a gorgeous day in Cozumel, perfect for scuba diving along the reef in crystal clear water. "I'll wear my hair in cute French pigtail braids," I thought. "Then, when I take them out, they'll make nice beachy waves."

No, no, no, no...no. That is not what happened. The salt water loosened my braids, creating a rat's nest so epic that my boyfriend had to help me comb it out. Safely back on dry land, I called up hairstylist Matt Fugate and asked him what, if any, style I should wear for swimming and extreme sports. Instead of braids, which he agreed "get loose and wonky in water," he recommended the style above. Start by working a ton of leave-in cream through your hair (gold star if you use one with SPF, like Redken UV Rescue Daily Sun Milk Leave-in Protective Moisturizer) and brush it straight back with a boar-bristle brush so it's as tight and smooth as it can possibly be. (Skip the part, which leaves your scalp vulnerable to sunburn.) Then tightly wrap the bun at the nape of your neck and secure it—like, really secure it—with several pins. When you let it down, it will create a pretty, sleek wave, says Fugate. Or, at the very least, your hand won't get stuck in your hair when you try to wash out the salt water.